# Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.

> Most likely: Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/answers/ANS0D8E77PM4YKA/clumps-of-fine-dust-orbiting-the-star-released-by-comets  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Questions](https://mysteriesdept.com/questions)[Tabby's star (KIC 8462852)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star)[What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips)Answer

Answer · Tabby's star (KIC 8462852)

# Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.

Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it.

**Most likely** Answers **1** questionPublished0

## Where it stands

**Most likely** Its tests supported it: two pieces of evidence for, two against. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

## What it predicts

- Dips are deeper at shorter wavelengths, with a colour law set by grain size.
- The stellar spectrum and polarisation do not change during dips.
- Very deep dips, if optically thick, become more neutral in colour.
- A source body travelling with the dust replenishes small grains within days.

## What would rule it out

- Grey (colour-independent) dips at high signal-to-noise, or dip colour that does not depend on depth in the way optically thin dust requires.

## Evidence 2 for · 2 against

[GTC spectrophotometry gives an Ångström coefficient of 2.19 ± 0.45, consistent with grains of 0.0015 to 0.15…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E78684PK7/gtc-spectrophotometry-gives-an-angstrom-coefficient-of-2-19)

Supported

FOR

[The 2017 dips were deeper in blue than red with no change in spectrum or polarisation; the authors favour…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E77YE7HJZ/the-2017-dips-were-deeper-in-blue-than-red-with-no-change-in)

Established

FOR

[Grains this small are blown out by radiation pressure and must be renewed from a comoving body within days.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E78NW28RW/grains-this-small-are-blown-out-by-radiation-pressure-and)

Suggestive

AGAINST

[There is no infrared excess, so there is no large reservoir of warm dust near the star.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/evidence/EVD0D8E78E225F1/there-is-no-infrared-excess-so-there-is-no-large-reservoir)

Supported

AGAINST

## The questions it answers

[What blocks the light during the deep, irregular dips?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/tabbys-star/questions/QST0D8E76FJ6B8S/what-blocks-the-light-during-the-deep-irregular-dips)

Most likelyClumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it

## Cite it

```
Mysteries Department. (2026). Clumps of fine dust orbiting the star, released by comets, planetesimals or other bodies close to it. [Answer ANS0D8E77PM4YKA]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/ANS0D8E77PM4YKA
```

Key

**ANS** 0D8E77PM4YKA

Kind

Answer · hypothesis

Origin

Published

Version

1

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